


Ties That Bind Drabbles

by abs2891



Series: Masks AU [5]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Firefighters, Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, Drabbles, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, masksau
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-03-19
Packaged: 2019-04-04 16:30:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14024181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abs2891/pseuds/abs2891
Summary: Chanbaek Drabble Collection For MasksAU





	1. Drabble #1

The first time Chanyeol slips into Baekhyun’s apartment in the wee hours of the morning after working a night shift, he sleeps on Baekhyun’s couch.

Baekhyun only learns this when he wakes up and walks into his living room, nearly jumping out of his skin as the hand running through his messy hair freezes in place and a yawn dies in his throat.

Of all the things he expected to see that morning, Chanyeol dead asleep on his couch wasn’t among them, even if he had given Chanyeol the key to his apartment himself and told him to stop by whenever he wanted because, simply put, Chanyeol never had.  He’d always called, or texted, first, and Baekhyun had always been there to greet him at the door with warm smiles and open arms, and, now that they were dating, usually a kiss for good measure, but this time, Chanyeol hadn’t called.

He hadn’t let Baekhyun know he was coming, and more importantly, he hadn’t let Baekhyun know once he came, something that was quickly causing Baekhyun’s surprise to transition to annoyance.

If his boyfriend was going to come over in the middle of the night, he should at least get in Baekhyun’s bed.  Really, what was the point of Chanyeol coming over if they didn’t even sleep next to each other?

Baekhyun certainly can’t think of one, and he intends to inform Chanyeol of this, stalking towards his target on the couch ready to give him a piece of his mind when suddenly, a piece of paper on the coffee table catches his eye.  It’s marred with untidy, messy script, like it was written in the dark by someone who wasn’t sure what they were supposed to write, and as Baekhyun deciphers the words he finds his emotions shifting again, from annoyed to something warm and fluttery, almost sickeningly so.

_Sorry for coming over so late.  I wanted to see you so I came here, but you were asleep and I didn’t want to wake you up, but just leaving feels creepy so yeah, I’m sorry.  I do weird things when I’m tired.  Please don’t get mad at me._

Baekhyun lets out a quiet laugh as his fingers curl around the piece of paper in his grasp, looking between it and the man still curled up asleep on his couch, form barely contained by the plush blue cushions.  He looks down and reads the note a few more times before he begins to shake his head, setting the note back on the coffee table before tiptoeing into his bedroom to grab the comforter from his bed.

He returns to cast it over Chanyeol’s form before leaning down to fix his hair, brushing it aside to press a kiss to his forehead before standing up and moving back towards the coffee table, plucking Chanyeol’s note from its surface and replacing it with another before he departs for work that morning.

_If you don’t get in bed with me next time, I’m taking away your key._

It’s a few hours later that Chanyeol texts Baekhyun a lot of hearts and laughing smiling faces.

Baekhyun eventually sends them back, though he might include a couple angry faces too.  He still missed out on early morning cuddling after all.


	2. Drabble #2

Baekhyun is so used to Chanyeol slipping into his bed in the middle of the night that he doesn’t even open his eyes when it happens anymore.  He just rolls onto his side after he feels the bed dip, waiting for his arm to connect with the solid expanse of Chanyeol’s chest so that he can fall sleep pressed to Chanyeol’s side, but one night, he misses, or well, more accurately, Chanyeol isn’t there.

Baekhyun stiffens, surprise causing his heart rate to tick up as his hand begins to grope aimlessly for a couple seconds, certain he had been awoken by the feeling of someone getting on the bed, but his hand only finds more mattress as he begins to blink open his eyes, trying to see through the darkness of his room.  Finally, after a couple blinks, he manages to make out the form of someone seated on the edge of the bed, just beyond his hand’s reach.  Baekhyun slides himself closer as he rasps outs some words, tongue thick and throat dry.

“Chanyeol?” he questions, certain that it is his boyfriend who sits on the edge of what will soon be their bed.  Chanyeol will be moving in, in just a few more weeks, and sure enough, it is Chanyeol who jumps and turns to face Baekhyun, hands reaching out to press him back towards his pillow.

“You should be asleep.  You have to go to work in a couple hours,” he chastises, hands insistent even as Baekhyun struggles against them.

“Yeah, but you—“

“I’m fine.  I just… need a shower,” Chanyeol says, hands stilling as Baekhyun finally gives up and lets himself be pushed back onto his back with his head resting on his pillow.  “So you should just sleep,” Chanyeol continues, leaning forwards to press his lips to Baekhyun’s cheek before pulling back with a smile that Baekhyun doesn’t buy for a second.

Something is off, he is sure of it because Chanyeol’s tone is all wrong, his smile isn’t wide enough, and he’s already had a shower.  Baekhyun would be able to tell if he hadn’t by smell alone, but Chanyeol is nothing if not insistent, a hand running through Baekhyun’s hair until Baekhyun closes his narrowed eyes and feigns sleep, waiting.

Chanyeol himself waits a couple more seconds, most probably evaluating whether or not Baekhyun is really asleep, before he sighs and gets up from the bed.  A couple seconds after that, Baekhyun hears the door to the bathroom open and close, and then, the sound of the lock being turned into place.  The sound of the shower follows moments after that, but Baekhyun doesn’t pay it any mind.  Instead, he gets up from the bed and starts looking for the bathroom door’s key.  He knows it’s somewhere in the top of his dresser.  He just has to find it.

After a couple minutes of uselessly groping through his socks, Baekhyun’s fingers curl around the thin, metal key, sending a wave of relief coursing through him as he approaches the bathroom door.  That wave is quickly replaced though as the door swings open to reveal the image of Chanyeol sitting there on the closed toilet, staring at the opposite wall.

His expression is troubled and yet, oddly vacant.  He’s just not there, something that becomes painfully obvious when he jumps nearly a mile high as Baekhyun enters his line of sight, reaching over to turn off the shower as he stares down at Chanyeol.

There is a bruise on his arm that wasn’t there earlier.

Baekhyun doesn’t like imagining how it got there.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asks after a couple seconds of silence, already certain of Chanyeol’s response even before he starts shaking his head.

“No,” he whispers.

Baekhyun nods his head.  “Okay,” he responds, watching as Chanyeol’s eyes widen somewhat comically.

“Okay?” he questions, clearly surprised.  Baekhyun can’t blame him.  It’s rare that Baekhyun will just give in and let Chanyeol have his way, but, Baekhyun isn’t oblivious.  He can tell when he shouldn’t push things, believe it or not.

Baekhyun nods again.  “Yeah, okay, but I’m going to need you to stop wasting water.  I’m paying for that you know,” he teases, affecting a light, critical tone that makes Chanyeol jump before he laughs and suddenly reaches out a hand, ensnaring Baekhyun’s wrist in his grasp.

“I’ll be paying for it soon,” he murmurs, looking up at Baekhyun with the ghost of a real smile on his face.

Baekhyun smiles back full force as he shakes his arm in Chanyeol’s grasp.  “You bet you will, but you aren’t yet so I’m going to need to you to get out of my bathroom.  This is still _my_ apartment so you must follow _my_ rules,” he insists, relieved when Chanyeol’s response to his nagging tone is a half formed smirk as his hand squeezes around Baekhyun’s wrist.

“And what are your rules Baek?”  He asks, gaze fixed on Baekhyun’s as Baekhyun raises up his free hand, numbering off his rules with ticks of his fingers.

“One, no wasting water, and two, no locking yourself in the bathroom when there is perfectly good bed available for brooding.  The bathroom is not a good place for that,” Baekhyun insists, taking a small step backwards away from Chanyeol in hopes that Chanyeol will take a hint and stand up.  He does, which makes Baekhyun happy, even if Chanyeol’s words do not.

“And what if I want to brood alone?”  He asks, taking another step forward so that Baekhyun finds himself with his back up against the bathroom wall, looking up at Chanyeol instead of down.  Chanyeol is still almost smiling as the question passes his lips, but Baekhyun is certain the question is a serious one, so he offers a serious answer, sort of.

“I can be quiet,” Baekhyun responds, watching as Chanyeol blinks before he lets out a soft chuckle and raises up his hand, fingers gently tracing the outline of Baekhyun’s face.

“Can you?” he murmurs, tone teasing though his gaze is slowly going back to contemplative and distant.  Baekhyun quickly nods his head, hoping to get Chanyeol back to his bed before Chanyeol goes somewhere far away again.

“Yes.  I can.  So, please Yeol, let’s go to bed.  I’m not going to fall back asleep until you do,” he says, tugging his still clasped wrist towards the door as Chanyeol’s fingers still against his cheek.

“Now that’s something I know is the truth,” Chanyeol murmurs, leaning forward to press his lips delicately against Baekhyun’s own before pulling away after a few short seconds to turn towards the bathroom door.  True to his word, Baekhyun follows after him in silence.

He doesn’t say a single thing as they crawl onto the bed and get situated.  He just rolls onto his side and casts and arm over Chanyeol’s chest as Chanyeol lays there on his back and waits.

If he needs to know what caused the new bruise on Chanyeol’s arm, he is certain Chanyeol will tell him, but if he doesn’t, if all he needs to know is that Chanyeol needs to hug Baekhyun a little closer that night, which he eventually does, turning towards Baekhyun and wrapping him up tightly in his grasp, then that is okay too.

Baekhyun is more than willing to do that any day.

\---


	3. Drabble #3 (Continuation of Drabble #2)

Baekhyun wakes up to the sound of a power drill, which has his brow furrowing.  He doesn’t own a power drill, so how did one end up in his apartment?

The answer to that question comes to Baekhyun as he realizes he is alone is his bed.

Chanyeol.

Chanyeol must have gotten a power drill, but from where?  It’s seven o’clock in the morning.  Chanyeol really shouldn’t even be awake considering he got home barely three hours ago.

Baekhyun sighs as he stares up at the ceiling for a couple of seconds, the sound of the power drill echoing in his ears.  Chanyeol is not okay.  Still.

Baekhyun sighs again and reaches for his phone, tapping off a message to Kyungsoo that he won’t be coming to work that day.  He’s not feeling well.  Kyungsoo doesn’t reply, but Baekhyun doesn’t worry about it as he pushes himself up from the bed.  He’s probably still asleep, like Chanyeol should be.

Baekhyun follows the sounds of the power drill to his kitchen, finding Chanyeol there screwing a metal mount into the wall.  It doesn’t take long for Baekhyun to realize what for as his eyes fall upon the small fire extinguisher on the floor.  It’ll fit perfectly in the metal arms of the mount Chanyeol is attaching to the wall.

Chanyeol doesn’t look up as Baekhyun enters the kitchen.  Baekhyun is not even sure he hears him over the sound of the drill, but he does see him when Baekhyun places his hand over Chanyeol’s arm, making him release his grip on the button that makes the drill whir.

Chanyeol flinches slightly, turning to look at Baekhyun with wide eyes marred by large, dark circles.  Baekhyun squeezes his hand around the drill.  “Let me,” he whispers softly while attempting to pull the drill from Chanyeol’s grasp.

Chanyeol’s grip holds fast.  “I can do it.”  He rasps, voice low.

Baekhyun squeezes around the drill tighter, his opposite hand moving to rest on top of Chanyeol’s own.  “I’m pretty sure there are rules about operating heavy machinery on no sleep,” he whispers, fingers squeezing around the back of Chanyeol’s hand, pulling gently.

Chanyeol doesn’t laugh, and he doesn’t loosen his grip.  If anything, he holds on tighter.

Baekhyun sighs and moves his hand to Chanyeol’s wrist, squeezing around it.  “Yeol, let go,” he commands, squeezing until the pressure has Chanyeol’s hand popping open as Chanyeol winces.  Baekhyun pulls the drill away, holding it in one hand as he pulls Chanyeol down to the kitchen floor with the other.

Chanyeol lets him, settling on the floor with his back propped up against a leg of the kitchen table, eyes somewhat empty.  Baekhyun smiles encouragingly, hoping that Chanyeol will smile back.  He doesn’t, but Baekhyun keeps smiling anyway, ruffling Chanyeol’s hair before pushing himself up from the floor.

“Where did you get this?” he asks conversationally, tone inquisitive as he lines up the drill with the mount on the wall.  He doesn’t expect Chanyeol to answer, which means he jumps a bit when Chanyeol’s voice sounds in the wake of Baekhyun pulling the drill away from the wall after having completed installing another screw.

“Fire house,” Chanyeol rumbles, voice low.

Baekhyun blinks before he turns to face Chanyeol, eyes slightly wide.  “Are you allowed to take it?” he asks, suddenly feeling a bit nervous.  What if Chanyeol had done something he shouldn’t have?

Chanyeol shrugs, not reacting to the concern in Baekhyun’s voice as he rummages in the front pocket of his hoodie, eventually producing another screw that he holds out in Baekhyun’s direction.  “I’ll take it back,” he says nonchalantly.

Baekhyun takes the screw from him, turning back towards the wall as he extends his foot in the fire extinguisher’s direction.  “And this?” he asks, moments before screwing the next, and final screw in place.  Chanyeol had already done a lot of the work before Baekhyun arrived.  It’s not the first time Baekhyun has cursed his ability to sleep through loud sounds.  Something tells him it won’t be the last.

“Same place,” Chanyeol responds when Baekhyun is done, voice still low and unapologetic.

“Do I want to ask?” Baekhyun responds, glancing back at Chanyeol again.

Chanyeol shrugs again.  “We can order more,” he responds,

Baekhyun sighs, opting to reach for the extinguisher on the floor.  He pushes it into the clamps firmly, smiling as he releases his grip and the extinguisher remains in place, hanging there in the air.

“Done,” he says, turning to look at Chanyeol with a small smile.  “Told you I could do it,” he adds, feeling slightly accomplished despite the situation.

This time, Chanyeol smiles back at him, though the motion barely even makes the edges of his lips curl upwards.  “You did well,” he acknowledges, saying nothing else as his gaze focuses on the extinguisher where it hangs on the wall.

Baekhyun sighs and lowers himself down to the floor, back against the wall.  He reaches out his hands towards Chanyeol as he goes.

“Come here,” he orders softly, arms open, beckoning.

Chanyeol stares, unmoving.

Baekhyun leans forward, hands grasping Chanyeol’s wrists.  Chanyeol doesn’t resist, and after a few seconds, he starts to move on his own, crawling on top of Baekhyun’s lap as best he can, huddling against him with his arms clutched around Baekhyun’s back and his face buried in the crook of Baekhyun’s neck.

Baekhyun doesn’t speak for a while, not a first.  He just strokes Chanyeol’s hair and listens to the way he breathes against him.  Chanyeol isn’t crying, but Baekhyun can tell he’s close.  Baekhyun takes a breath and turns his head, kissing the top of Chanyeol’s brow as he transitions to stroking Chanyeol’s back instead.

“You worry me when you get like this,” he murmurs softly, continuing to stroke as Chanyeol flinches against him.

“Sorry,” he whispers after a couple seconds, the sound muffled as he speaks into the side of Baekhyun’s neck.

Baekhyun shakes his head.  “You don’t need to apologize.  Just tell me what happened,” he says, heart clenching slightly as Chanyeol squeezes tighter, breath hitching.

“What If I don’t want to?”

“I’m asking you because I know you don’t want to.  Please,” Baekhyun begs, arms squeezing around Chanyeol’s back in a silent plea.

After a couple seconds, Chanyeol sighs against him, and one of his hands starts moving, tracing aimless patterns against Baekhyun’s back.  Through the thin fabric of Baekhyun’s nightshirt, Baekhyun can feel every press of Chanyeol’s fingers against his back.  It makes him shiver even before Chanyeol speaks.

“They can’t have been married more than a few months…” he whispers, making Baekhyun’s brow furrow as Chanyeol’s voice trails off.

“Who?” he prompts, stiffening slightly as in response Chanyeol lets out a sigh and pushes himself up away from Baekhyun’s chest so he can look down at him as he continues to speak, eyes tired and haunted.

“The couple whose house we went to yesterday.  The wife… she didn’t realize what would happen if she threw water on a grease fire and…”  Chanyeol’s voice trails off again with a sigh as Baekhyun’s eyes widen.  Thanks to Chanyeol he knew well what happened if a person threw water onto burning oil.  It wouldn’t have ended well.

“Did she survive?”  He ventures after several seconds of silence, making Chanyeol jerk as he focuses back on Baekhyun’s face with a small nod.

“She did, but… she’ll have the scars for the rest of her life.  She’ll never look the way she did in those wedding photos ever again, and I just…” Chanyeol’s voice trails off again, expression troubled.

Baekhyun studies Chanyeol’s face for a few seconds before whispering softly, comprehension dawning.  “You just want me to be safe.”

Chanyeol’s eyes widen before he quickly nods his head, hands clutching at the fabric of the back of Baekhyun’s shirt.  “Yes,” he confirms with a sudden desperation in his tone that is eerily familiar.  It is the same desperation Bekhyun feels every time Chanyeol is called out to help on a bad blaze.

Baekhyun pulls Chanyeol back to his chest, hands slipping underneath Chanyeol’s shirt to allow him to scratch gently against Chanyeol’s skin.

“Me too,” he whispers, making Chanyeol stiffen.

“What?” he asks, trying to pull away again.

Baekhyun resists, continuing to drag his fingers gently against Chanyeol’s skin, savoring the warmth as he speaks quietly.  “I just want you to be safe too, so please, can we go back to bed?”  He begs, finally allowing Chanyeol to pull away again so he can look at Baekhyun with a confused expression and a slight tilt of his head.

“We?”

Baekhyun nods.  “Yes, we.  I told Kyungsoo to tell everyone I’m sick,” he explains, shifting slightly so that he can stand up while simultaneously dragging Chanyeol with him.  It’s difficult, given the difference in height, but Baekhyun manages, getting an arm around Chanyeol’s waist as he begins to pull him back towards the bedroom.

“Is that okay?”  Chanyeol asks as he drags his feet alongside Baekhyun, leaning heavily against him as they walk through the doorway to the bedroom.

“Were you allowed to steal the fire extinguisher from your precinct?”  Baekhyun responds, releasing his grip on Chanyeol’s waist in order to climb into bed, slipping under the covers as Chanyeol remains at the edge, silent and with a troubled expression on his face.

Baekhyun sighs and flips back the covers, opening up Chanyeol’s space.  “It’ll be fine.  My boss will forgive me a single day of hooky.  Now c’mon, I’m cold,” he pouts, shaking the blankets after Chanyeol doesn’t start moving right away.  The pout seems to work, spurring Chanyeol into motion as he climbs onto the bed, slipping an arm beneath Baekhyun to pull him to his side as Baekhyun drapes the covers over his chest.

“How can you possibly be cold when you’re under all these blankets?” Chanyeol asks with a soft, almost laugh as Baekhyun snuggles against his chest, taking a deep breath as Chanyeol’s proximity overwhelms his senses, making him feel warm and safe.  Nothing would ever beat that feeling.  Not in Baekhyun’s mind.

“Because I’ve gotten used to having you next to me,” he admits, taking a deep breath as Chanyeol’s chest rumbled with another almost laugh beneath him.

“Me too,” he murmurs, making Baekhyun smile as he hooks one of his legs over Chanyeol’s, entwining them as he gives a satisfied nod.

“Good.”

One more laugh passes Chanyeol’s lips as he leans down to press his lips to Baekhyun’s head.  Baekhyun tilts his head up beneath him, still smiling.

“Better?” he asks, well aware of the way Chanyeol’s body is going limp beneath him, giving into the exhaustion that plagues Chanyeol’s face even as he smiles and nods his head.

“Yeah,” he murmurs, lips ghosting from where they are hovering above Baekhyun’s brow to press lightly against his lips.  Baekhyun presses back gently, savoring the contact for a few short seconds before Chanyeol pulls away and squeezes Baekhyun closer to his side as he lets out a yawn.

“I might sleep all day,” he admits, the words already a bit slurred as more tension leaves his body.

Baekhyun lets out a quiet laugh and moves his arm, running his fingers gently up and down Chanyeol’s arm.  “Go ahead.  We have time,” he whispers.

Chanyeol’s head nods, more like lolls, in response as Chanyeol’s breathing begins to slow.  Baekhyun continues to stroke Chanyeol’s arm until it evens out, indicating that Chanyeol is finally, blessedly, asleep.

Baekhyun breathes a sigh of relief, turning slightly so he can lay a light kiss upon Chanyeol’s chest.  “Night love,” he whispers, closing his eyes as he focuses on the sound of Chanyeol’s breathing, knowing that it will soon lull him to sleep as well.


End file.
